Russian Federation overwhelm Saudis in FIFA World Cup opener

World Cup – Follow the Football match between Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia live with Eurosport. Ever since Russia were awarded the rights to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup, there have been consternation about potential discrimination to players and visiting fans, the country’s human rights situation and Vladimir Putin’s worsening diplomatic relations with much of the western world, especially because of the Russian President’s approach of soft power grab in Europe through the FIFA World Cup. Our live coverage lets you follow all the key moments as they happen. Their manager, Stanislav Cherchesov, replaced Leonid Slutsky after a disappointing campaign at Euro 2016 two years ago, but they didn’t show much of an improvement at last summer’s Confederations Cup. Find out by following our live matchcast. Russia’s poor form will be balanced by the home support they will enjoy, and that could eventually see them cross the line in this tie.

In Group A, which also comprises two-time champions Uruguay and African hopefuls Egypt, the world No. 70 Sbornaya – “the team” in Russian – have to capitalise on a meeting against a side ranked just three rungs above them. Igor Akinfeev, Russia’s most recognisable player and first-choice goalkeeper for more than a decade, admits his team-mates must take the game to the opposition.

Russian Federation selected 11 host cities to be the venues for the matches of the 2018 World Cup and they are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Saransk, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and Samara. Egypt and Uruguay play Friday in Yekaterinburg.

“I have never done anything like this”, Cheryshev said.

After a vibrant opening ceremony led by Robbie Williams had got the 78,011 crowd in attendance buzzing, the onus was on the players to deliver but from the off, it looked like only one team were up to the challenge.

Stats: Dzyuba’s goal (89 seconds), is the quickest goal by a substitute at a World Cup tournament since Marcin Zewlakow scored for Poland vs U.S. in 2002. They had a torrid run in both 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2016 European Championship, getting knocked out in the group stages in both the tournament.

Salman Al Faraj headed a decent chance over the crossbar as Saudi Arabia sought a reply after the interval.

Gazinskiy’s strike marked the first time that the opening goal of a World Cup tournament has been a header since 1990 (Francois Omam-Biyik for Cameroon v Argentina).

It was a goal that prompted Russian President Vladimir Putin to turn to the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, seated alongside Federation Internationale de Football Association chief Gianni Infantino, and shake his hand. 1-0 to Russian Federation just 12 minutes in. He fell for the feint Cheryshev in the second goal, closed Gazinskaya and Dzyuba in the first and third.

On the break Zobnin drove forward and his shot was parried clumsily by Al-Mayoof as Saudi Arabia cleared the danger. “I couldn’t think”, he said.